Never Again?
by Winchester26
Summary: Damon wins. Stefan loses. /you will never see Stefan again/. NOT SLASH!
1. Never Again?

"Stefan, I chose Damon on my own. I'm not making a mistake," I accused, frustrated and exasperated. This had to be the one hundredth time I was going over this with Stefan.

"You don't see it. You can't see him like I do," Stefan replied. He was desperate for me to see it his way, but I _just_ couldn't do it. I loved Damon.

"You're both vampires. You're both able to shape shift, if you want me to follow what you're saying, then you'd be out of my life too," I snapped, getting tired of this conversation. It just kept repeating itself. Déjà vu anyone?

"I'd rather have to step out of your life and know that he's absent, than to be in it and put you in such danger," he replied, putting his hands on the sides of my face.

I pushed his hands away instantly, and began walking away from him, "I'm not losing either of you," but I didn't make it far before a crow landed on the tree in front of me. I turned back and gave Stefan a look, silently telling him 'this conversation is over'. When I turned back I saw my tall, dark, and handsome. I smiled, and he smiled back, "Don't stop on my account," he said, although I knew he was taunting his brother.

I paused. Things were about to get tense…well…more so than what was already present.

"Damon…this has to end," Stefan growled. The brothers each had a dark look in their eye as they stared each other down. There wasn't much movement, except for the occasionally tensing of a muscle, and of course, myself.

"Actually, brother, it's just begun," Damon draped his arm around my shoulders and his dark look faded into a triumphant one.

"Don't do this to her. Don't drag her into this…we can't….it'd be just like before…" Stefan replied, his dark look also fading as he looked from me and then back to Damon. His expression was once again desperate.

Damon smirked, "No, it won't," he said. I felt him move, "Because this time around. You won't be involved," and Damon turned from his brother, taking me with him. I felt what Damon had said was a little harsh. I didn't want Stefan out of my life. I looked back at Stefan as if to tell him that Damon wasn't right.

"Damon…" I said gently, touching his chest with my hand.

"_You're never going to see him again"_ Damon spoke calmly and clearly. Part of me knew he'd manipulated my thoughts, but I couldn't fight it. I was never going to see Stefan again.


	2. Answers?

The last thing I remembered was walking with Damon through the forest. The next thing I knew was that I was in my bed. I sat up, trying to remember. I remembered arguing with Stefan…and Damon came…and told me that _I was never going to see Stefan again. _I got out of bed to find I was in the same clothing. I went downstairs- no one was home. Meaning it was a weekday and my aunt must be at work. I went to the medicine cabinet for some aspirin for my headache. What had happened? How did I end up home in my bed? With the same clothes on? How long had I been there? I pulled out my cell phone and flipped through my contacts for Damon. He'd explain it all to me. I hit talk. _Ring. Ring. Ring._ It rang a total of five times before I got the impersonalized voicemail. I hung up and didn't leave a message. He wasn't one to check voice mail. I'm pretty sure I was the only reason he had a phone. This was why he should answer it!

I slammed my phone down onto the counter, but then something caught my eye. There was something sticky on the back of my phone. "Gross…" I muttered, picking the phone back up to examine it. "What the heck?" I poked at it with my fingernail. I had a thought at what it might be…but I didn't want to confirm it. I set it down and then began to check myself for the similar substance. I found it on the hem of my coat and a little on my thigh. I took my jacket off and set it on the counter. Then I found something. On my wrist. I took a closer look to find that it looked like a bite mark that had the same sticky substance over top. So I washed my hands vigorously, getting nervous. When I got a better look at the mark, I was sure it was a bite. But…who would have…? Would Damon really have bitten me? I felt fine, I was sure I was still human. I had a heart beat…and a killer headache that was responding to medicine.

Confused, I picked up my phone again and dialed Damon. Once again, no answer, but I did leave a message. "Damon. Call me…please…" Sighing, I flipped through my contacts and stopped at Stefan. _Someone _owed me an explanation. Damon told me that I could never _see_ Stefan again. That didn't mean I couldn't _talk_ to him. So I hit talk, knowing I needed an answer. And during the _ring, ring, ring,_ my heart was pounding with anticipation. But this time, I got the answer I wanted, "Hello?"

"Stefan?!?!" I exclaimed with a huge sigh of relief.

"Yeah…what's wrong?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"I…I don't know what happened?" I felt my voice crack and my eyes watered before I could stop them, "I don't know….what happened…"

"Where are you?" Stefan asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine…I think…I'm at home," I got my wavering voice under control and wiped the tears away.

"Where's Damon?" he asked next, seeming….angry.

"I don't know. He won't answer his phone…What…what day is it?" I asked.

Stefan paused, "Thursday…I'm coming over. Just stay there, and be calm. I'm on my way."

"Oh…okay….thanks Stefan," I said with a sigh. Screw Damon's order. He wasn't there for me at the moment.

"No problem," Stefan replied and then hung up the phone. I hung up as well and set my phone back down on the bathroom counter. "Damon…" I groaned, staring at my phone, wanting him to call back. I sat up on the counter and brought my knees to my chest. I just wanted answers.


	3. Damon?

Relief flooded through me as I heard a knock at my front door. I bolted from the bathroom counter and rushed to the door. I swung the door open and saw Stefan less than two feet in front of me. Before my mind told me what to I jumped up and wrapped my arms him and squeezed him tight. "Stefan!" I exclaimed. "What…what's going on?" I asked as I finally let go and lead him into my house.

"I don't know," we went into the living room and he sat me down, "Let me see your wrist," he said, pulling it up to his eye level. He then set it back down and sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"What is it?" I asked, hoping his answer would not have matched my guess.

"It's a bite," he confirmed. He sat down across from me, "Do you remember _anything_?" he asked, seeming frustrated himself.

"Just the argument with you, and leaving with Damon…I woke up here," I wanted so badly to remember more as she spoke, but nothing came to her.

Stefan nodded, "Well you can come home with me," he said, "It'll be better if we figure it out there. Your aunt could just complicate things…" he stood back up and paced, running his hand down his face.

I finally stood, feeling guilty, even though I knew I shouldn't have been. "Let me just get my purse," I said. I sauntered up the stairs and into my room. I grabbed my purse and shoved a few necessities into it. I didn't know how long I'd be there. I looked at my phone. I gave another try to Damon, my eyes squeezed shut. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Voicemail. I hit it off and sighed heavily, before I shoved it into my purse, bitter.

I headed back downstairs to find Stefan waiting. And then we left my house and got into his car and began to drive. "Stefan, I'm really sorry about this," I spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"It's alright," Stefan told me, "I just want to help figure this out," he kept his eyes on the road. I said no more. I figured it wouldn't be conducive to anything.

"Did you hear that?" I asked. It had sounded like a wisp of wind but loud and in my ear.

"No," Stefan seemed to be wrapped in his own thoughts.

Then it happened again, only this time it sounded more like a word. But I couldn't quite make it out. And on the third time it became clear. "_Never_" It was a harsh whisper. And it began to give me a headache. "Ah, Stefan…" I began, "I hear-" it happened again. But this time the voice was even more clear, and twenty-times louder, "_I said NEVER_!" it rang throughout my head and caused my vision to blur. I began to groan as it repeated, "_Never again. Never again"_

"What's wrong?" Stefan asked, looking over quickly, even though he was driving way too fast.

"It's Damon!" I groaned, holding my head as the voice repeated.

Without warning I was thrown forward, though caught by my seatbelt and my head beat against the dashboard. Stefan had slammed on his brakes, but it didn't seem to be quite fast enough, because the voice disappeared but was replaced by the shattering of glass and crushing of metal.


	4. Blood?

I never fully lost consciousness. I remember pain when my head beat against the dashboard, and the constricting seat belt that confined my chest. I was pretty sure I felt the bruises. My whole body felt sore because when the car stopped going sixty five miles an hour, my body was still up to speed. I remember glass flying everywhere and then someone (for I only saw the black of the leather jacket) pull me from the passenger seat of the totaled vehicle. The voice in my head stopped but the head ache resided.

Of course, they couldn't leave me to be in pain in peace. Oh no. Then there was yelling. I couldn't quite understand because it was loud, and my body didn't like loud. My ears were ringing as I heard fighting and that's when I drifted out.

Only to drift back in a few minutes later. I was in his arms and he was walking through the woods. With a moment of focus I found out whose arms I was in, "Damon?" I asked. Before the car ride, I had wanted nothing more to see him and get answers. But with the pain I felt I kind of just wanted to hit him.

"Shhh…don't talk. You're in pain. It'll be over soon…" he said. He kissed my forehead and we continued walking. Having no concept of time, it was sooner or later when we reached a house that was foreign to me, and I was laid in a bed.

"Damon it hurts," I complained.

"I know," he replied. He went into the drawer next to the bed and began to rummage through. Thank God, aspirin was on its way!

But Damon didn't pull out aspirin. He pulled out a small knife. "Damon?" I asked, feeling too weak to move, but wasn't so out of it that I didn't know how many doors a knife opened.

"I'm going to make you feel better," Damon told me, still in a light tone. You know the ones that murderers used to calm you down so you didn't struggle while they proceeded to KILL YOU.? Yeah, that sort of light tone. But…this was Damon… Somehow, at the moment, that thought wasn't comforting as it should have been.

Watching, my heart pounding, Damon made a cut across his forearm, just below the major vein in his wrist.

"Damon? Wha- What are you doing?" I asked wishing the throbbing pain in my head would stop long enough so that I could hold a conversation with Damon.

"Making you feel better," he said, before he held his wrist up to me, "Drink," he said.

I may have been in extreme pain, but I wasn't yet crazy, "What?!" I asked, attempting to sit up. It didn't work in my favor.

"Lay down," he demanded, the light tone disappearing, "And drink. It will make you better, it won't hurt you, I promise. Would I lie to you?" he asked rhetorically, his wrist still held up to me, a few drops of his blood landing on my already messed up clothes.

"Damon…" I winced, "I don't think-" but suddenly his cut wrist was pressed to my mouth and he forced me to drink his blood. The first few seconds I fought, wanting to gag. After the initial few seconds, though, I felt my body already begin to get better…and my body wanted more. At this point I was freely drinking what Damon was supplying, and to my dismay, he pulled his wrist back, "That's enough for now," he smiled, seeming pleased.

Coming to my senses, his blood helping most of that, I sat up, "Damon. What the hell is going on?" I asked only wanting the answers that were never given to me, "And what is this?" I asked, holding up my wrist. But the large gash was gone, replaced by a thin, white scar line. I stared in wonder.

"That is a story for another time," he said, sitting on the bed next to me. "But I should tell you," Damon began.

"Yes you should!" I interrupted. He smiled…and I couldn't help but smile too. It was the Damon-ness that I fell in love with.

"Now that you've had some of my blood," he began, "Your body will crave it. Now, I will leave it up to you if you want to ever take it again. But it brings us closer. Now, I'll be able to sense you, and if you're ever in danger…" he touched my face.

"Says the vampire," I teased, not wanting to think about everything that had just happened. It was a little too much for my human mind to comprehend. But for the moment, everything was normal…well…as normal for a girl who was dating a vampire got. However normal that is, I was thankful.


	5. Danger?

I had gone to sleep, again…but Damon couldn't blame me. A lot had gone on to leave me feeling exhausted. When I woke up I slipped out of bed and shuffled out of the room to find Damon.

"If he's gone again I swear to God…" I muttered under my breath as I left the only room I'd seen so far.

"Since when are you religious?" Damon smirked as he sauntered down the hall to me. We embraced when he reached me, we kissed and then I answered, "Well, someone's gotta watch out for me. I am dating a vampire," I replied with a laugh.

Damon nodded, "I can't argue with that," he shrugged, "Now that you're up…what would you like to do?"

"I'd really like a shower," I replied, "But you'd have to take me home, because I have nothing here…." But he put his finger to my lips before he pulled me back into the room that I'd been sleeping in. When I took a good like, my stuff was in the closet and the drawers. I wasn't sure what to say, "Damon…did you …move all of this?"

Damon nodded, "Now we can live together, like we've talked about," he wrapped his arms around my waist, but I pulled back. "Yeah…we talked about. I don't think I was conscious for the actual decision," I snapped. He did not seem taken aback by my reaction. He seemed prepared for it on the contrary.

"After all that's happen, I thought it best-" he began but I cut him off, finding myself disliking the situation, "'After all that's happened'? Damon…all that's happened was because of you," I accused.

"Yes, but it's over now, and you'll be safe here…"

"I was safe at home." Now, I was angry.

"Not with Stefan doing-"

"Doing what? Protecting me from you? Maybe he was right," I pulled away from him completely. So much had happened in so little time, my head was spinning. Right before I'd fallen asleep I'd felt safe and protected, but now I felt manipulated. And I didn't like that.

"You can't think that…" Damon took a hold of my wrist as I turned to leave, he held on tight.

"Let go of me Damon." I spoke slowly and clearly so there was no question on my intent.

Damon stared into my eyes but slowly let go.

"Goodbye Damon," I said with a tone of sincerity. I headed down the stairs and to the front door. When I opened the door, he was standing in front of me. I gasped at the surprise. However, he did not smile. "You can't leave…I won't put you in danger."

"Why would I be in danger? The only danger I'm in, is being here alone with you," I growled.

"I'm not a threat to you-" but yet again I was forced to cut him off. I shoved my wrist into his face, "Oh yeah? Then why don't you explain this to me then, Damon?!" I exclaimed.

He gave a long look at my wrist, and then he looked me into the eyes, "That's the reason you cannot leave." He stared me down.

That was the end of the conversation.


	6. Hunger?

Let's just say, it had been a few days of not understanding. I looked down at my wrist again after he ushered me back a few feet and he shut the front door.

"But you did this," I replied looking up, trying to find my voice again, "So why can't I go home?"

"I don't think you're ready yet," he replied sternly. He then walked past me and into the kitchen. I followed, "Damon, I'm more than ready. After all you've put me through?!"

Damon didn't answer. There didn't seem to be any food in the kitchen. Which, wasn't surprising, seeing as how he didn't need it, but seeing as how he supposedly wanted me to live with him, it'd be a necessity. Although, he did pull out something from the cupboard.

"Oh my god! How long has that been in there?!" I exclaimed, a sudden ripe smell hitting my senses once he'd pulled it out.

Then he set an apple in front of me on the counter. It looked as though it had just been picked off the tree, "Why does it smell so bad?!" I asked, backing away a couple steps.

"It doesn't," he replied. He even cut it open and showed me the inside. Completely fresh. I looked at him confuse, "Then what do I smell?" I asked. Maybe it was coming from somewhere else in the kitchen.

"The apple," he replied, "This is why you cannot leave," he told me.

I was so sick of the dance around the answers that I wanted to stab him in the face. "Why?! Because something in your kitchen smells really bad?!" I demanded.

He shook his head, seeming frustrated that I wasn't picking up on something, "Food will no longer sustain you," he replied, "In fact, it will repulse you," he walked out from behind the counter.

I stared at him, mouth agape, "What? Am I….?"

"No," he shook his head, "But you have been infected with venom…and you've drank my blood," he explained, "Which will the only that will sustain you now," he said, stopping a few feet in front of me.

"I drank your blood because you made me!" I exclaimed, my stomach doing twists and turns.

Damon nodded. He didn't seem to want to expand on that, "This is how it is," he replied.

My head was spinning. "You're lying," I hissed, glaring at him.

"You smell the apple," he said with a shrug, "I can't make that up. You can taste it if you want…but I wouldn't recommend it…"

But at his 'I wouldn't recommend' statement I was at the apple and I took a big fat bite out of the shiny red apple.

And then spit it out. "Oh my God!" I exclaimed again. I spit in the sink, trying to get the taste out. Once I'd settled down I slowly turned to look at him, "You're….not lying," I said slowly.

He shook his head. "Just tell me when you're hungry," he retorted before he left the room.

And the nightmare continued.


	7. Stefan?

I'd locked myself in my bedroom. I didn't even want to lay eyes on him. I was so irate that I just sat in the window sill and glared out into the yard. My life had just spiraled out of control. I felt a few tears drip down my cheeks and onto my leg that was outstretched on the sill.

Then it hit me. And I was surprised it hadn't before.

Stefan.

I dug into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I quickly scrolled my contacts and stopped at Stefan. I hit talk.

It rang once. Twice. Thr- "Where are you?"

"Stefan!" I exclaimed. A wave of immense relief washed through my body. I didn't want to admit it, but maybe Stefan had been right. "You have to help me! I don't know what's going on-" but a voice suddenly sounded from the doorway, "Drop the phone," it rang clearly.

And I obeyed. The phone hit the floor with a crash, and I looked over to see Damon picking up my phone and hanging it up. "Don't make this any harder than it is," he told me, pocketing my phone.

"Damon…" I began, pleading. I stood up, off the windowsill. "Please, you have to stop this…" maybe pity would get me somewhere.

He took a step towards me and placed his hand on the side of my face, and then ran his hand through my hair, "You're okay," his told me his voice soothing. He then leaned in and whispered in my ear.

I giggled and looked at him before we began to kiss intensely. He picked me up and then placed me on the bed, and he followed, hovering over me. His hand wandered down my leg and our lips were locked in an intense battle.

But what he didn't realize; his manipulative power no longer had an effect on me. I was just buying time until Stefan could reach me. I was helpless until I had his help. Damon was in control and I wasn't sure if Stefan could even take him on.

At least I had some control while Damon and I were furiously making out.

That was, of course, until he pulled out the handcuffs.

Who knew vampires could get kinky…


	8. Escape?

"Damon…" I pushed at his chest with my hand when the glint of the handcuffs had caught my eye. "What are you doing?" I breathed. He was nearly lying on top of me. There was possibly a quarter of an inch left between us, and only about a half inch between our faces.

Damon smirked. "You caught me," he said. Then there was distance between us as he got off the bed with vampire agility and threw the cuffs onto the nightstand. He looked at me on the bed and I sat up, resting on my elbows. "I was going to handcuff you there so you wouldn't go to Stefan, but I figure I need to gain a little trust back…and some popularity," he said, also talking with his hands.

I sat up fully now and looked at him with my mouth slightly ajar, "Why don't you just use your little power?" I asked with clear attitude.

"Because that doesn't work on you anymore," he replied.

Damn it. He knew. Now I had nothing.

"You know how you'll get my trust back? And a whole lot of popularity….let Stefan in," I replied, standing up to face him. "Damon…I don't want to leave you...but…you gotta give me something…" I said, fed up with the tears and the pleading.

Damon paused and titled his head back and forth, "Well…I don't _have_ to," he began. "But what you may be doubting...I _do_ want you…and it's easier if you want me back," he approached me with a cocky grin. "We'll let Stefan in…" he said. "You walked away from him once…you can do it again," he draped his arm around my shoulders. I nodded.

I had no idea what I was going to do. But I could be quick on my feet.

Hopefully.

"Damon!" Stefan's voice rang from the front door.

"Let the show begin," Damon smirked, and lead me down to the front door. He opened the door and there stood Stefan. He could not enter yet, but he looked livid as ever. But a moment later Stefan's eyes were on me, "Are you okay?" he asked, looking me over.

I nodded slowly. In truth I wasn't okay. But I was standing. I was alive. That would have to do for now. "Damon," I spoke, "Would really like it if you came inside," Damon received a very demanding look from me.

Damon looked at me momentarily, and then to his brother, "Why don't we talk outside?" he asked, ushering me out the front door and onto the porch. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Now it was me and the brothers on the front porch of the dreary day.

"Damon, let her go," Stefan ordered, looking at the pair of us. "She's only human."

"Human-ish," Damon replied. He chuckled at his own status of power. "Please, let's have a seat," he motioned to the table and chairs that were to the left.

I turned, and when I did Stefan was right next to me. Without a thought I grabbed onto Stefan's hand with my own. I had momentarily detached from Damon. Stefan did not waste any time. We were off like a shot, away from Damon.

For a moment, Damon looked as if he were about to scream, yell, or even kill. But it faded quickly into a knowing smirk and a small laugh, "She'll be back."


	9. Life?

(I would like to apologize that my FF looks like the show. I had NO idea the show was going to do what I'm doing. I will try to change it up a bit so it doesn't look the same.)

"Stefan," I groaned as we stopped. I wasn't quite sure where I was, but I was with Stefan and I felt safe. My head hurt, my eyes felt sore, and I felt hungry again. I was sitting on a couch. I didn't recall sitting on a couch, but Stefan was next to me. He brushed my hair away from my face. "What did he do to you?" he whispered.

I looked at him helplessly and I showed him my wrist. Stefan examined it and then looked at me with a very concerned, very serious look in his eye, "Did you drink his blood?"

I looked mortified, but I nodded my head slowly, as a child would when they knew they were in trouble. Stefan sighed, "I'm so sorry," he admitted, "I could've stopped him," he said helplessly. I saw true pain in his eyes, and it made me feel even guiltier for choosing Damon. But you can't help who you love.

"What's happening to me?" I asked in no more than a whisper. I looked at him, and he did not want to answer. But he did. "Only Damon's blood will satisfy your hunger now. You won't die without it, but I'm not sure you can live without it either. You…you will remain human so long as you don't drink human blood…but…" he stopped.

"But? But what? How could this get any worse?" tears stung my eyes. I had a feeling my life was about to spiral out of control.

"The thing is…your body wants to begin a transformation. But it would if you do not drink human blood. However, at this point the only thing that will keep you going is Damon's blood. But it will never quite satisfy you…you'll live...in this haze…and pain…" he looked at me, and I knew it was hard for him to tell me this. "If you don't drink human blood…you can never fully live again, but if you do drink…you'll be one of us."

I felt my chest freeze, and I didn't know how to take that. It was either linger on in life…half-living…or die to live.

It was like a cosmic joke.

I gave a long breath, trying not to cry anymore. I buried my face in the crook of Stefan's neck and closed my eyes, "Will you just stay with me?"

I had some thinking to do.

"Of course," he whispered, placing his arm around me.


End file.
